gratuitous

adjective

gra·​tu·​i·​tous grə-ˈtü-ə-təs How to pronounce gratuitous (audio)
-ˈtyü-
1
: not called for by the circumstances : not necessary, appropriate, or justified : unwarranted
a gratuitous insult
a gratuitous assumption
a movie criticized for gratuitous violence
2
a
: given unearned or without recompense
We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry.Roger L'Estrange
b
: costing nothing : free
It was printed in France at the author's expense, for gratuitous distribution to educators and others.Current Biography
c
law : not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration
has gratuitous permission to pass over private land
gratuitously adverb
gratuitousness noun

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These Gratuitous Facts Are Free

Like gratitude, grace, and congratulate, gratuitous is a descendant of the Latin word gratus, which means "pleasing" or "grateful." When gratuitous was first used in the 17th century, it meant "free" or "given without return benefit or compensation." The extended meaning "done without good reason" or "unwarranted" came about just a few decades later, perhaps from the belief held by some people that one should not give something without getting something in return. Today, that extended meaning is the more common sense, employed, for example, when graphic cruelty depicted in a work of fiction is described as "gratuitous violence," or when unkind words better left unsaid are described as "a gratuitous insult."

Examples of gratuitous in a Sentence

The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence. A local veterinary technician provides gratuitous services to the animal shelter twice a month.
Recent Examples on the Web The examples of the gratuitous killing of civilians in Gaza are already numerous, and further instances of the Israeli government’s relaxed attitude to the deaths of innocents will surely come to light after the war. Avner Gvaryahu, Foreign Affairs, 4 Mar. 2024 One of the challenges of the show is finding the line between gratuitous shlock and something genuinely edgy, which is blurred too often. David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 29 Feb. 2024 In what is supposedly a legal document, these inclusions certainly looked gratuitous—to say the least. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2024 Easy: his gratuitous repulsing of conservative centrists like me. Richard Vatz, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2024 As the country participated in the gratuitous orgy of capitalism otherwise known as Super Bowl LVIII, the real ones know that even though the Chiefs came out on top in a down-to-the-wire overtime win over the 49ers, the bona-fide highlights of every Super Bowl Sunday are those super spots. Rob Ledonne, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2024 Then made gratuitous, unnecessary and inaccurate personal remarks, and those are improper. Nbc Universal, NBC News, 11 Feb. 2024 And perhaps this was the point: to paint the justice meted out by the American prison system as no less violent or gratuitous than the crime itself. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2023 Those two bursts of gratuitous stimulus arguably helped set the stage for the biggest inflation surge in four decades. William Pesek, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gratuitous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin gratuitus, from gratus grateful

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gratuitous was in 1617

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Dictionary Entries Near gratuitous

Cite this Entry

“Gratuitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratuitous. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gratuitous

adjective
gra·​tu·​i·​tous
grə-ˈt(y)ü-ət-əs
1
: done or provided freely with nothing expected in return
2
: not called for by the circumstances : unwarranted
a gratuitous insult
gratuitously adverb
gratuitousness noun

Legal Definition

gratuitous

adjective
gra·​tu·​i·​tous grə-ˈtü-ə-təs, -ˈtyü- How to pronounce gratuitous (audio)
: not involving a return benefit, compensation, or consideration compare onerous
gratuitously adverb

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